DEVELOPED INTEREST
Have you ever picked up a magazine from the multitudes in the grocery store checkout line, read a little about whatever caught your attention on the cover, but then ended up putting it down?
That’s what happens to us in sales when we don’t develop the interest we created with our attention grabber.
It is now time to start to bridge the next gap. This is the beginning of what we commonly consider sales activity. Here is where you give your sales presentation, answer and ask questions, solve problems, convey your product’s benefits.
Looking over the definition of “interest” we find: a feeling of wanting to know, see, do, own, share in, or take part in; also, the arousal of such a feeling.
And then, from a business perspective: an advantage; benefit or profit; also, to make curious, or to engage the attention of.
Of key note in the above is that interest is a feeling; an emotion. Make sure to note this fact as this knowledge will come in handy later.
Regarding the business perspective: Anyone who has spent time actually selling for a living will recognize that if you can identify the prospect’s own purposes or interests, and show him a way to achieve them within his price range, you will have a sale.
It is axiomatic that value is determined by desire. That is, the degree to which something is considered valuable corresponds directly to the degree that it is desired.
Plainly, how much something is valued, is a factor of how much it is wanted and desired. Further, the factors that determine the degree of desire (and therefore value) are the product’s advantages, benefits, and potential for profits.
If you have a way of attracting attention, you have the possibility of generating interest. Also, since interest is an emotion, you have also begun to lay the groundwork for the last, all-important bridge to the close.
When the prospect, towards the ends of accomplishing his own purposes, perceives your product or service as beneficial, he would tend to want to know more. And would be more inclined to go into action to own what you are selling.
Because you have done your job correctly, bridging from awareness of your product to developing the prospect’s interest further, you have given him all the knowledge he needs to make the purchase.
So why don’t we close more sales? Why are there always those deals that slip away at the last second, even after we’ve done everything right?
EMOTION
You think you have thoroughly engaged the customer in the process informing him of everything he needs to know about your service or product.
You’re certain he now has a thorough knowledge of what you are offering. But why is it that all too often you here hear things like:
“I appreciated your coming here to give this presentation.”
“It’s apparent that you really know your material. You make a lot of sense.”
“Very impressive!” Followed by a quick departure.
This is because you haven’t built and led the prospect across the third and final bridge. You did not move the prospect to action. Specifically, the action of signing at the bottom of the contract.
What went wrong?
It is a primary rudiment of all selling that people buy emotionally, then justify it logically.
A classic sales mistake is to believe the reverse, i.e., motivate the prospect with logic. But it doesn’t work that way.
You’ve already thrown all the ingredients into the pot — the advantages, benefits, profit potential — so how come doesn’t turn to soup?
THE HEAT!
Because now you have to turn on the heat — the emotion. As the emotional temperature rises, the prospect will make his decision to buy. Then he will seize upon the logic and knowledge you’ve provided for him, and begin to rationalize the inevitable discomfort he is feeling from having to part with his money.
People act and react emotionally, in many unpredictable and peculiar ways, and any of these can affect their buying decisions. It is your job to think quickly on your feet to be able to adapt to and harness these emotions to your advantage.
Emotion is the bridge between thinking about doing something and actually going into action. And is, in fact, the key factor in creating a decision to go into motion toward a close.
The car salesman who says merely, “This is a special gas shock absorber/wishbone suspension system,” ends up with nothing. While the one who says merely, “You’ll feel like king riding in this baby,” is more likely to get the sale.
Trust, help, confidence, certainty, conviction, benefits, advantages, price, profits, long term relationships . . . these, and more, can be emotional, not purely analytical, issues if presented the right way.
The emotional bridge has to be established. You have to connect with them in some manner that is harmonious with their concerns and purposes.
Top sales people not only have a superior knowledge of their product or service, they also possess an extremely high degree of conviction that what they offer is also the best solution for the client to help them in meeting their goals.
They are emotional about it. They’re excited about the possibility of helping the client. Their attitude is enthusiastic and free from doubt. It is unstoppable. It’s also very contagious!
Remember:
LOGIC MAKES PEOPLE THINK – EMOTION MAKES PEOPLE ACT!
The choice seems clear. Which would you prefer?
daniel w. jacobs
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